Amar is the founder of Shared Studios and guides much of the organization's creative and technological direction. He evangelizes Shared Studios wherever he goes. Amar is an artist and entrepreneur who loves imagining what the world needs but doesn't realize quite yet. Before founding Shared Studios in 2014, He traveled across the world as a multimedia journalist for the Washington Post and worked for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Amar holds a bachelors from Harvard, a master’s from Johns Hopkins, and a JD from Yale Law School. He loves working alongside a passionate, diverse global team that demonstrates every day what a brighter future for all of us looks like.

Tommaso was a member of the founding team of Wimba, where he also served as CEO. Wimba became the leading virtual classroom solution. Tommaso grew the company to 800 customers before it was acquired by Blackboard. Tommaso also founded Tocca, a virtual events platform, and was the CEO of multiple other companies over his diverse career.

Didier founded and served as CEO and Head of Product of inWebo, growing it to become a leading multi-factor authentication solution. He ultimately sold the company to a PE firm.

Brandon helps drive new and existing partners to design and execute programming, and oversees our global community of curators and contributors at Shared Studios. He is a writer, educator, and expert facilitator with a doctorate in intercultural communication from Arizona State University. He has a range of experience across the private, education, and not-for profit sectors where he has worked to harness the power of new communication technologies to bridge cultural divides through transformative conversation. A life-long learner, in his free time you can find him practicing German, reading, riding his bike, and (sometimes) watching bad reality television.

Teun works to ensure that everything gets done when it needs to be in order to successfully deliver all of our activations. He comes from a film production background with an international track record, as well as co-founding and managing several startups in the entertainment sector. Teun is happiest at the helm of a sailboat and loves to cook for family and friends. He loves being constantly challenged, surprised and humbled in equal parts by the Shared Studios team.

Danara oversees the planning, development, and deployment of technical solutions at Shared Studios. She is a creative technologist that has worked on a range of productions, including sound, light, and kinetic installations. Danara was born in Kazakhstan, and grew up in Turkey where she was trained as an industrial engineer, before relocating to New York to pursue her master’s at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program. When she is not playing with code, Danara is likely to be painting or playing fetch with her dog Bobo. Danara values collaborations and being part of an organization that values integration of different cultures while maintaining their separate identities.

Victoria is originally from Brazil and has graduated from NYU’s Film & TV program at Tisch School of the Arts. She has lived in NYC, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Rio and is now back in São Paulo, her hometown. Victoria has spent the last few years working as a production manager for film shoots both in Brazil and in the US, and now joins Shared Studios to provide operational and logistics support to the team. Although very pragmatic and driven in her organizational role, Victoria also loves her creative side. She has a passion for creative writing and travel, having backpacked solo through several countries, teaching yoga in exchange for room and board in hostels and guesthouses. In her spare time, you will find her reading or writing poetry, teaching and practicing yoga, or taking care of her plants.

Jay is a seasoned cross-cultural communication professional with work experience in the Development and Aid sectors across East Africa, as well as within the Entertainment and Services sectors in the Netherlands. He is responsible for coordinating and executing programming across all global sites, ensuring seamless execution of programming with Shared Studios partners and collaborations with our global curator community. His interests in human history, politics, and in arts and culture, combined with his passion for breaking down barriers and connecting people from diverse backgrounds, brings a unique perspective to the team. When out of office, you can find Jay on the road with friends, exploring new cuisines, beaches, and dance moves.

I am a strategist, trainer, brother, friend, husband, sailor, traveler, learner and citizen of the world. Positively affecting lives is my driving force and passion, whether assessing communities and organizations, developing talent strategy and human capital initiatives, supporting global teams or simply helping friends, neighbors and peers. I have degrees in Economics and Human Resources from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and a Masters in Global Management (means I am trained to lead the world!!) from Arizona State University. Thing you may not know is that I've lived in the Caribbean for 8 years and owned a floating bar in Grenada :)

Niko focuses on growing the Shared Studios business and driving strategic partnerships. Having lived and worked across 5 continents, he is a huge proponent of Portals and their ability to create impactful connections from around the globe. He has worked in journalism, sales, brand strategy and venture building, as well as being an avid plant collector, photographer and DJ. He studied undergraduate economics at UC Irvine and received his MBA from Bocconi University in Milan.

Dr. James Ren is a dynamic force in the field of Software Engineering, possessing a wealth of knowledge and a relentless commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements. His thirst for knowledge goes beyond the conventional, as he actively seeks inspiration from new discoveries, novel ideas, and innovative perspectives. Driven by a passion for continuous learning, he embodies the spirit of intellectual curiosity that defines our company.